Overdose News and Research

RSS

Withdrawal of the commonly prescribed painkiller, co-proxamol

A phased withdrawal of the commonly prescribed painkiller, co-proxamol, has been announced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

1 Feb 2005

In the first few days of each month, fatalities due to medication errors rise by as much as 25 percent above normal

Beware not the ides but the start of March – and April and May and every month. In the first few days of each month, fatalities due to medication errors rise by as much as 25 percent above normal, according to new research by University of California, San Diego sociologist David Phillips.

6 Jan 2005

Disturbing new trend in cybersuicide is emerging

A disturbing new trend in suicide pacts involving strangers meeting over the internet (cybersuicide) is emerging, warns a consultant psychiatrist in this week's BMJ.

3 Dec 2004

Number of overdoses among opiate and injecting drug users has risen nearly 100 fold in thirty years

Researchers from Imperial College London, the Health Protection Agency, Medical Research Council and GlaxoSmithKline have analysed the numbers of opiate and injecting drug users who had overdoses, to see if it was possible to model long term trends for the number of opiate or injecting drug users.

14 Nov 2004

Selling paracetamol and other painkillers in smaller pack sizes has slashed rates of suicide

Selling paracetamol and other painkillers in smaller pack sizes has slashed rates of suicide and damage to the liver from paracetamol poisoning, concludes a study on bmj.com this week.

29 Oct 2004

Smoking shown to quell painful sensations and heighten positive emotions

Smokers often say that lighting up a cigarette can calm their nerves, satisfy their craving and help them relax.

28 Oct 2004

80% of cancer patients use some form of complementary or alternative therapies

Plug the terms "alternative" and "cancer" into Google and the Internet search engine returns a list of 3.27 million - yes, million - sites with information both credible and questionable about nontraditional treatments for cancer. What's a cancer patient to make of such a vast array of options?

18 Aug 2004

Horrifying research into Britain's injecting drug users

Horrifying research out today in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, suggest that one in 50 and one in 80 adults between the ages of 15 and 44 in London, Liverpool, and Brighton is an injecting drug user. And users are more likely to die of their habit in Brighton, finds the study.

12 Aug 2004

Injuries kill more Washingtonians under the age of 45 than all diseases combined

Injuries are the leading cause of death and disability for younger people in Washington and are largely preventable. During the summer months, there are more deaths and hospitalizations due to injury.

2 Aug 2004

The Internet has become the street corner for many drug users and traffickers

Operation Web Tryp investigated Internet websites distributing highly dangerous designer drug analogues under the guise of “research chemicals” primarily shipped to the U.S. from China and India. These websites are known to have thousands of customers worldwide.

26 Jul 2004

Debate over acetaminophen and acute liver failure

One expert questions the acceptability of the current level of acetaminophen-related injury and death, while another suggests that acetaminophen overdoses are misunderstood.

20 Jul 2004

Patent for orally administrable pharmaceutical may aid treatment of overdose patients

Global nanotechnology company pSivida Limited, is pleased to announce that its UK operating subsidiary pSiMedica Limited has been granted a new Australian patent for BioSiliconTM.

30 Jun 2004

Request for further evidence about the risks and benefits of the painkiller co-proxamol

The MHRA today issued a request for any further evidence about the risks and benefits of the painkiller co-proxamol, as part of an ongoing review being carried out by Committee on the Safety of Medicines (CSM).

30 Jun 2004

New guidelines to develop reliable information for consumer use of alternative medicines

Since traditional, complementary and alternative medicines remain largely unregulated, consumers worldwide need to be informed and given the tools to access appropriate, safe and effective treatment.

23 Jun 2004

Call for special help for young people who inject drugs

Government and health care services are being urged to make special help available for young people who inject drugs, in a bid to minimize drug-related deaths.

16 Jun 2004

Advertising campaigns do little, if anything, to dissuade teenagers from using drugs

Expensive government advertising campaigns, which play an important part in the national drug strategy, do little, if anything, to dissuade teenagers from using drugs, according to a study by University of Florida researchers.

1 Jun 2004

New monitor can reduce patients experiencing awareness during an operation by more than 80%

An Australian study headed by Melbourne’s Alfred hospital and published in The Lancet today is likely to change the way surgical anaesthesia is conducted throughout the world.

31 May 2004

Should drug users and their families be trained in basic resuscitation methods?

Should drug users and their families be trained in basic resuscitation methods, and be allowed to administer interim emergency naloxone to prevent overdose deaths whilst awaiting emergency medical help? If so why are the drug regulators so resistant to implementing these obvious harm reduction measures?

14 May 2004

Paul Newman urges Princeton to stop tradition of alcohol abuse in honour of his name

Paul Newman, the Hollywood film star and salad dressing mogul, has appealed to Princeton University to end a campus tradition in which students attempt to consume a beer an hour for 24 hours.

24 Apr 2004

Avoid feeding infants fluoridated water, researchers caution

Infant formulas prepared with fluoridated water increase dental fluorosis risk, according to the April 2004 Journal of the American College of Nutrition(1) and other studies. To prevent this tooth staining, researchers caution against mixing infant formulas with fluoridated water.

23 Apr 2004